HONOLULU — The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is seeking entries in an art contest to depict hunters during a hunt for game birds and mammals for its 2017-2018 Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation and Game Bird Stamp. The conservation stamp is required on the Hawai‘i State hunting license, and the game bird hunting stamp is required for those intending to hunt game birds. Both stamps (differing slightly in text) will be available to wildlife stamp collectors.

“Hunter recruitment and retention are extremely important in today’s world. In general, the numbers of hunters are decreasing worldwide, and the younger generations are becoming less interested in hunting,” said Dr. Shaya Honarvar, DOFAW game program coordinator. “In this new stamp we would like to portray that hunting can be a great activity for the whole family and it is for everyone. We hope to encourage families, men, women and youth hunters to get out in the field, hunt and continue the hunting traditions,” she said.

Following are requirements for entries in this year’s contest.

SUBJECT: Hunters (Youth/Adult, Male/Female) with or without dogs hunting game birds. Hunters (Youth/Adult, Male/Female) with or without dogs hunting game mammals.

SETTING: Hawai‘i Habitat

SIZE: Completed painting with a maximum of 24” by 36” and unframed (to be reduced to 1” X 1.5” stamp)

MEDIUM: Oil or acrylic

ENTRY: Completed oil or acrylic painting or an 8.5” X 11” photo/print/photocopy of a completed painting

DEADLINE: All entries must be received by January 20, 2017. Notification of the winner will be made on the last day of February 2017.

SHIPPING FEE: All paintings sent must be accompanied by a $35 fee, to cover the cost of returning artwork. If a check is not included you will need to come to the DOFAW administration office to pick up your artwork. Checks should be made payable to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Otherwise, a photo, print, or photocopy of an original painting may be sent with no fee (see application form).

PAYMENTS: The winner will receive a maximum award of $1,000.

Background

Funds from sales of the Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation Stamps go into the state Wildlife Revolving Fund to support wildlife populations and habitat, and to manage hunting in the state. Activities and projects supported by this fund have included surveys of game bird and mammal populations; land leasing for hunting; predator control; and maintenance of wildlife watering units. In addition, planting of native shrubs and trees, controlled burns, removal of invasive plants, and other wildlife habitat improvement and restoration projects are supported by these funds.

Last year revenues from the Conservation Stamp and the Game Bird Stamp were used to cover some of the costs of maintaining hunting units and to add game bird and game mammal hunting opportunities where possible. Funding helped pay for facility development, game mammal and game bird surveys, management of hunts, signage, paying commissions to vendors for the sales of hunting licenses, supplement game bird populations in new areas, to implement food crop plantings for game birds, to mow grasses and weeds to allow hunting, and to control predators like mongooses, rats, and feral cats, while proceeds from the sales of conservation stamp will also provide the funds for the annual lease rental of the Lana‘i Cooperative Game Management Area and several other hunting unit leases.